Tortuga Liveaboard

Destination: Cuba

Jardines de la Reina (7 Nights) | From $471++/night

NOTE: The Tortuga has now been retired from the Avalon Outdoor fleet and is no longer in service. There are 6 other Avalon Outdoor fleet boats currently in service that we can book guests on. For more information about the entire Avalon fleet, click here. 

Tortuga Quick Pitch

While a guest at Los Jardines de la Reina, accommodations are provided primarily on large liveaboards or on an original 110-foot double deck houseboat, the Tortuga. The Tortuga is a floating hotel with eight guest cabins that accommodate 2/3 divers each (16 divers up to 21). Tortuga is a steel houseboat anchored in a protected channel, so it never moves. It is extremely stable, there’s no chance of getting seasick no matter the weather conditions.

Location

Tortuga departs from Júcaro Port.

Dive Overview

The underwater paradise is all that comes into the mind when you first enter the water, the vertical walls covered with brightly hued sponges, the huge Pilar Corals (Montastraea Annularis), the black corals extending the branches in the contrasting blue water, many species of gorgonians, fragile laminar corals (Agaricia sp.) showing its beautiful shapes through crevices, canyons and caves built along thousands of years of invertebrates work, converting tons of calcium carbonate into architecture masterpieces, all this combined with one of the biggest fish diversity and biomass of the Caribbean makes each dive an unforgettable experience.

[See: Cuba Dive Travel Guide]

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Accommodations

Types of Cabins, Amenities and Photos

Tortuga Accommodation Details

There are 7 cabins on the upper deck and one on the main deck; all featuring their own bathrooms with sink, toilet and a good shower with hot water. Each cabin has its own easily adjustable air-conditioning system.

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General Facilities

Tortuga Boat Features

• Large air-conditioned dining room
• Foredeck and afterdeck with chairs and tables
• 24 hours a day electricity supplied by generators located nearby
• Many outlets on board that provide both 110 and 220V
• Satellite Internet service with Wi-Fi

Tortuga Dive Facilities

• Rental Equipment
• DIN/INT adapters
• Spacious dive deck
• Separate Dhoni
• Warm-water showers

Food & Drinks Aboard Tortuga

Dining on board combines the style of the best Continental Italian cuisine with delicious seafood and traditional Cuban favorites like rice and beans, black bean soup and fried bananas. Beverages available onboard are: Bottled mineral water (2 lt/day included in the package), sparkling and tonic water, various soft drinks, juices, beers, rums, whiskey and excellent wines.  

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Schedule & Rates

Tortuga Schedule & Rates

2021 Schedule & Rates

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Inclusions

• 7 nights accommodation on the reserved boat on full board basis
• Up to 3 dives/day (18 dives)
• All meals 
• 6 beverages/day (Beer, soft drinks, mineral water)
• Round transfer Santra Clara or Camaguey Airports

Exclusions

• Double cabin single occupancy is charged 65% of the Jardines Package rate, subject to availability.
• Equipment rental: Brand new Cressi equipment available.
• Gratuities. When traveling back to Júcaro on Friday, the Captain will have an envelope for gratuities that will be divided with the yacht staff. Payment can be made by cash only. SUGGESTED 10% of the Jardines Package.
• Conservation fees: USD 100
• Port taxes: USD 200

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Other Dates & Availability

For more information on other departure dates that are not listed above and on availability email us at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us at 310-915-6677 and we will gladly help you plan your dream dive vacation!

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Dive Information & Destinations

Diving in Jardines de la Reina

The "Gardens of the Queen", are a complex network of untouched marine ecosystems that have been regarded by many knowledgeable scientists and organizations as a reference of what is the original status of a coral reef as Christopher Columbus found it in the times of the discovery.

The underwater paradise is all that comes into the mind when you first enter the water, the vertical walls covered with brightly hued sponges, the huge Pilar Corals (Montastraea Annularis), the black corals extending the branches in the contrasting blue water, many species of gorgonians, fragile laminar corals (Agaricia sp.) showing its beautiful shapes through crevices, canyons and caves built along thousands of years of invertebrates work, converting tons of calcium carbonate into architecture masterpieces, all this combined with one of the biggest fish diversity and biomass of the Caribbean makes each dive an unforgettable experience.

The amazingly healthy mangrove system provides nursery area for young fish populations, filtering the water that goes to the reef together with the seagrass beds (Thalassia Testudinum) and in return receiving from the reef protection against the open ocean wave energy, all interconnected in a very fragile network that here keeps its variety, richness and splendor intact.

The biggest populations of adult fish in the Caribbean, Sharks, Snappers, and Groupers. Jewfish up to 400 Pounds are an everyday experience.

Avalon Diving Center is the only operation in the area, and hosts no more than 900 divers per year. Dive sites are well protected from the winds and sea currents. Visibility is more than 40 meters. The dive center is well equipped with new compressors, nitrox blenders and quality equipment for rent.

The Ultimate Sharks Paradise

Diving with sharks is one of the main attractions in Gardens of the Queen. There are resident populations of “Caribbeans” and “Silkies”, in some spots is absolutely guaranteed to have more than 25 curious sharks swimming around during the dive, at least 6 different species can be seen. Very abundant: Caribbean, Nurse and Silky sharks, occasional: Lemon, Blacktip, Great and Scalloped Hammerhead and the amazing Whale Shark.  

AVALON FLEET PROGRAM

Program includes transfers from/to the Santa Clara or Camaguey Airport to Jucaro Port (2 1/2 hours) where the Liveaboard departs from. Transfers are included for flights arriving by 6 pm Saturday at both airports. Guests arriving before may wait for the transfer. Clients arriving by their own to Jucaro will board around 6 pm. Clients booked on Tortuga need to arrive to Santa Clara or Camaguey airports on Friday, so to be able to take the transfer on Saturday morning.

Diving will start on Sunday morning through Friday.

Marine Biologists working with Avalon will be speaking with the clients about Marine conservation and Gardens of the Queen unique ecosystem.

Saturday 9:30 am: disembark and transfer to Santa Clara or Camaguey Airport.

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Other Information

Boat Specifications

• Year renovated: 2015
• Length: 33.5m
• Beam: 12m
• Top speed: Floating Hotel
• Max guests: 20
• Number of cabins: 8
• Number of bathrooms: 8
• Tenders: 2 x 8 m - 2 Jamaha 150 each

Practical Information

• Time Zone: GMT-5
• Local Currency: CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos)
• Language Spoken: Spanish and English
• Electricity: 220 & 110 V
• Payment Onboard: Cash

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Underwater Gallery 

Coming Soon!   

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